Calibration and MetrologyCompensation Survey2016 Results

Survey methodology

Fluke Calibration sponsored and created this survey. Invitations were circulated via email and on social
media. The survey included 17 questions about respondents’ geographic location; type of organization,
industry, and lab; gender; job title; education and years of experience; salary; and workload. Salary
estimates listed below are based on median values by volume of pay ranges selected.

Who took the survey?

934 participants completed the survey across the globe. A little more than a third (35 %) of respondents
work in an Industrial or Field Test Laboratory. The next largest group (29 %) work in a Manufacturer
Metrology/Test Group or Lab, closely followed (23 %) by those who work in an Other Laboratory or Professional
Metrology Group. Small percentages work in a National Metrology Institute (6 %) or Primary Standards
Lab (8 %).

More than half reported holding a bachelor’s (50 %) or master’s (15 %) degree and 2 % earning a PhD. The
remaining 33 % hold a high school diploma. Most respondents were male.

Our sample of respondents included 94 % male and 6 % female. Almost a third (32 %) of the respondents claim
a Calibration Technician job role. Metrologist made up 18 % of the respondents, followed by Calibration
Engineers at 17 %.

Geography

Most respondents in our survey live in North America, with select representation from Asia, Europe and some
Middle East/Africa. So few respondents came from Latin America we were unable to break out data by that
region.

Average salaries by top-level geography

Average salaries by region were similar across all reportable regions, with slightly higher pay reported
in North America.

Survey results by region

North America

Average salaries by region

Though salaries were similar across many regions, it appears to pay to live on the coast.
New England and Pacific states trended +17 % and +14 % above average, respectively. All
estimated average salaries are USD/yr.

Lab types

Median ranges were similar across lab types, with only slight indications of benefit observed
in Commercial and Government labs.

Job roles

Job role

Average range reported

Estimated average salary (USD/yr)

Calibration engineer

$80,001 – $95,000

$85,473

Calibration technician

$50,000 – $65,000

$63,696

Department manager

$80,001 – $95,000

$87,231

Engineer other

$80,001 – $95,000

$90,932

Executive management

$125,001 – $140,000

$129,500

Metrologist

$65,001 – $80,000

$74,722

Other not listed

$65,001 – $80,000

$72,500

Professor

Sample size too small

Sample size too small

Researcher

$80,001 – $95,000

$90,500

Sales/Marketing

$80,001 – $95,000

$81,550

Student

Sample size too small

Sample size too small

Educational background

On request, next year we will include Associate Degree as an answer category for this question.

Years in metrology

Predictably, the more years’ service in calibration/metrology the higher compensation we
see.

Calibration volume

Average range reported was $65,001 – $80,000.

Gender

One clue to the apparent disparity in pay between the genders can be seen in the range of
years in service. Women in our sample tended to be newer to the industry,with most reporting
0-5 years of service. Men were clearly established, with many reporting over 25 years
of service. That said, even amongst the 0-5 years of service groups there appears to
be some level of disparity in pay; with men averaging higher pay in every category.

Male

Average range reported$65,001 – $80,000

Estimated average salary$75,459

Female

Average range reported$50,000 – $65,000

Estimated average salary$56,429

Certification

Measurable impact to salary from completing the Calibration Technician Certificate program
was not detected in this sample.

Average range reported$65,001 – $80,000

Estimated average salary$73,343

Average range reported$65,001 – $80,000

Estimated average salary$74,415

Highest paid industries

Average range reported$85,001 – $95,000

Process industries(not oil and gas)$85,000

Electrical power generation,transportation and distribution$82,845

Pharmaceutical$81,810

Lowest paid industries

Average range reported$65,001 – $80,000

Oil and gas$58,438

Independent testing labs$67,115

Other manufacturing$70,565

Workload

Most respondents reported workloads are heavy but not excessive.

Europe

Lab types

Median pay ranges were similar across all categories, with indication there may be some financial
benefit to working in commercial or private labs.

Job roles

Job role

Average range reported

Estimated average salary (USD/yr)

Calibration engineer

$50,000 – $65,001

$54,298

Calibration technician

$50,000 – $65,001

$52,045

Department manager

$50,000 – $65,001

$57,500

Engineer other

$50,000 – $65,001

$54,773

Executive management

Sample size too small

Sample size too small

Metrologist

$50,000 – $65,001

$55,455

Other not listed

$50,000 – $65,001

$65,000

Professor

$65,001 – $80,000

$72,500

Researcher

Sample size too small

Sample size too small

Sales/Marketing

Sample size too small

Sample size too small

Student

Sample size too small

Sample size too small

Educational background

On request, next year we will include Associate Degree as an answer category for this question.

Years in metrology

We did see indication of higher pay for longer years in service in this region; by removing
an outlier in the “16 – 25 years” category, average salary for that range in our sample
was $59,808.

Calibration volume

Average range reported was $50,000 – $65,000.

Gender

Looks may be deceiving. Overall pay disparity between genders appears to be low in our European
sample, with only 3 % difference in estimated average salaries between women and men.
However, outlier pay for female Executive Management is at play in these numbers. Females
in our sample scored lower than males (between 20 % and 28 % less) in every other reported
job title for this region.

Male

Average range reported$50,000 – $65,000

Estimated average salary$56,777

Female

Average range reported$50,000 – $65,000

Estimated average salary$55,357

Certification

Measurable impact to salary from completing the Calibration Technician Certificate program
was not detected in this sample.

Workload

Asia

Lab types

Median pay ranges were similar across all categories, with indication there may be some financial
benefit to working in government or commercial labs.

Job roles

Job role

Average range reported

Estimated average salary (USD/yr)

Calibration engineer

$50,000 – $65,000

$55,081

Calibration technician

Less than $50,000

$49,318

Department manager

Less than $50,000

$48,500

Engineer other

$80,001 – $95,000

$82,500

Executive management

$65,001 – $80,000

$65,000

Metrologist

$65,001 – $80,000

$69,038

Other not listed

$50,000 – $65,000

$59,643

Professor

Sample size too small

Sample size too small

Researcher

$65,001 – $80,000

$72,500

Sales/Marketing

$50,000 – $65,000

$61,786

Student

Sample size too small

Sample size too small

Educational background

On request, next year we will include Associates Degree as an answer category for this question.
This sample indicated significant financial benefit to holding a Master’s Degree. The
job title with the most Master’s Degree holders in this sample was Calibration Engineer.

Years in metrology

Predictably, the more years’ service in calibration/metrology the higher compensation we
see.

Calibration volume

Fewer respondents indicated their labs handled more than 10,000 calibrations per year than
any other category. Most indicated 5,000 or less calibrations per year, regardless of
job title.

Gender

Clues to differences in pay between genders were not prominent in our data due to limited
sizes of the female sample.

Male

Average range reported$50,000 – $65,000

Estimated average salary$59,559

Female

Average range reported$50,000 – $65,000

Estimated average salary$50,000

Certification

Certification in a calibration program or similar professional licensing appears to have
slight positive impact on pay in this region/sample.